San Jose is the capital of Costa Rica, a modern city, center of all political and commercial activity in Costa Rica. The city is painted with culture, art and architecture. However there is something else that makes this city special. At night, its people come to life and spend their time dancing or enjoying a drink with friends at one of its many lively venues.
The Jazz Cafe offers quite an experience. There are live shows every night featuring national and several international musicians. The food is great and the display of various sculptures and art pieces by local artist gives this place a wonderful ambiance. There are now two venues, the original one sits over Read more
Where should I eat in Costa Rica? The simple answer is go where the locals go. In any country a restaurant’s mark of excellence is how busy they are. You will probably find that there are an incredible array of options when it comes to food: European, Mediterranean, Asian, American, and local. How can you choose? Here are two local favorites that are sure to impress:
Restaurant Las Delicias del Maiz is famous for their delicious corn dishes and pork BBQ. They are located in La Garita de Alajuela on the road to Jaco beach. This open air log cabin is decorated by typical Costa Rican ox carts, and wood sculptures. The atmosphere is relaxed and Read more
The options on where to stay in Costa Rica are nearly endless. You can stay in a bed and breakfast in the capital close to the museums, theatres and historic district. You could also stay in a quiet hotel in the mountains or a luxurious all-inclusive resort by the beach. Everyone can find what they are looking for in Costa Rica!
The town of Monteverde is home to the famous cloud forest. The downtown area has a lovely down-to-earth, laid back atmosphere. So does the Hotel Fonda Vela located a few kilometers outside of downtown Monteverde. From its luxurious rooms with large windows you can enjoy the magnificent view of the lush cloud forest and also the rest Read more
Real estate investment in Costa Rica is quite a project, but by keeping a couple of helpful tips in mind you can successfully venture jump through all the hoops and end up purchasing your own little plot of land in paradise.
In recent years more and more fradulent real estate dealings and investment scams. Therefore, it is important to keep your wits about you and don’t give anyone the benefit of the doubt. Many foreigners come to Costa Rica expecting things to run just as smoothly as they do in the States when it comes to business dealings, and sadly, that’s just not they way it is down here.
So, how can you protect yourself from being subject to Read more
If you are white, and especially if you have blond hair, there is very little you can do to not stand out as a foreigner in Costa Rica. However, there are a number of things you can do that will make you seem more Costa Rican and not call attention to the already obvious fact that you aren’t a Tico.
When you greet a person, touch your cheek to theirs and kiss the air. Main mistake made by foreigners: actually kissing the cheek. To remember:Men kiss women, women kiss women, but men do not kiss men.
At smaller parties and gatherings greet everyone this way and do the same when saying goodbye. Main mistake made by foreigners: Only greeting
The amount of time I could spend talking about the things you should or shouldn’t do when thinking of relocating are endless. I have been trying to shorten my list to include a few essential do’s and don’t’s for those considering making the move to Costa Rica. Here is what I have come up with.
DO take your time in deciding where you want your home in Costa Rica to be. (Or if you want to stay here permanently at all… this is not something to rush into.)
DON’T buy the first piece of land or first house you see.
DO Rent a place in that area before you buy!
DON’T expect things to be the same as they
Planning a vacation to Costa Rica? I strongly recommend going with a villa or vacation home rental as opposed to a hotel or an all inclusive and here’s why:
Vacation Villas offer a more private vacation experience.
Villas accomodate larger groups and families better than hotels.
When split among a group a villa rental is a more economic option than multiple hotel rooms.
If you get a villa rental with a pool, you don’t have to share it!
With a villa or vacation rental you can do your own cooking in the kitchen. (Some vacation villa rentals offer an all-inclusive package, for those who don’t like to cook.)
Vacation villa rentals are more secure since no one is entering
When I first got to Costa Rica many foreigners told me that I needed to buy a dehumidifier. I didn’t really see the importance since I was home a lot at first and I didn’t notice any problems with mold. Then one week I left for only four days and upon arriving back home I found mold had grown on all my clothes, wood, couches and basically anything made of cloth. After that I decided to get myself a dehumidifier and it has been a life saver and a killer.
One reason I love the dehumidifier is I noticed when I mopped the house the water would not dry on the floors, now with the dehumidifier I don’t have
Most of what we do in a bed is sleep. Yet we all know how hard it can be to find the right kind of mattress. Though mattresses are cheap in Costa Rica it is not going to be any easier finding a bed here than it is in the United States.
For example when you buy a bed here in Costa Rica you will find that it comes covered in plastic that they use to ship the mattress. I would recommend not removing the plastic from the bed after you purchase it. The reason is when you buy a frame in the United States normally there are metal cross bars that hold your bed up. In Costa Rica Read more
Sometimes you may find that it is the little things you miss when you come to Costa Rica. One thing I missed terribly when I moved to Costa Rica was bed sheets. Though you are able to find bed sheets at low reasonable prices the material used is different than what I am use to. I even paid for custom made sheets just to find that they felt stiff and like plastic.
The best way that I can think to explain it is that bed sheets in Costa Rica are made of a material that feels like window drapes. This may not be true in San Jose but for your smaller communities you will probably find that this Read more
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